Grete shares her beautifully raw EP, ‘Grey’

Lithuania-born, Manchester-based artist GRETE has perfected her own brand of alt-pop – culminating in the fresh, unique and exciting 5 track EP that is ‘Grey’.

While the EP successfully executes a huge variety of musical styles and each song is entirely distinct and standalone, there are several themes that span across the tracklist, tying ‘Grey’ together and turning it into a cohesive, emotionally vulnerable story. Each song focuses on a different low point in Grete’s
past, conveyed through cuttingly honest lyrics and reinforced by moody, mesmerising and sometimes even manic instrumentation.

Grete’s debut single, ‘With u’ is a hybrid of many different popular styles including RnB, jazz and pop, akin to influences such as Yebba and Maro. The live instrumentation invokes a warm, emotional sensation and the dynamic vocals encapsulate the intended emotion perfectly. ‘With u’ is a heartfelt ballad in which Grete is comparing her current life to a previous time.

Second single, ‘How Long’ progresses into a darker, more twisted space. This is brought to life by dissonant chords, biting and distorted guitar leads and Grete’s soaring vocals. The track is punctuated with glitchy details and electronic sparkles, complimenting the instruments and contributing to the cosmic scale of the song.

Grete’s latest single, Cz u don’t’ is a forward thinking, experimental yet vulnerable track influenced by artists like Halsey and Hiatus Kaiyote. The song winds through various sections with a beat in 7 as the backdrop, culminating in a whole-band-polyrhythm to end. The protagonist of ‘Cz u don’t’ is searching for reasons to leave an unhealthy relationship.

Grete started singing when she was only three years old, beginning her performance career in small ensembles and bands. She was quickly spotted and invited to the biggest stages in the country, such as nationally broadcasted competitions, top level musical theatre productions, international concerts and contests, even reaching the finals of ‘The Voice’ Lithuania 2018. Gaining local fame opened many doors for function gigs and session work but that was not the career she truly wanted to pursue.

Grete chose to leave Lithuania and start fresh in the UK. Now she is studying pop music vocals in RNCM. Influenced by artists like Jazmine Sullivan, The Weeknd and Yebba, she began writing vocally colourful and harmonically intricate songs with strong messages and old R&B references.

Why not have a listen to Grete’s stunning EP below…

Must Listens: How Long, With u, colder Summer

Manchester R&B princess Nellie Charles unveils ‘Rain on Me’ video

Following her recent feature on the blog with single ‘Rain On Me’, NELLIE CHARLES has now shared the video to the lush slow jam, which brings the emotional complexity and empowerment themes of the song further to life. Driven by Nellie’s emotive vocals and songwriting, the track is a powerful declaration of independence from a toxic relationship.

Nellie was recently announced for the Shangri-La stage at Glastonbury, and ‘Rain On Me’ has already amassed 100K streams on Spotify alone, as it continues to gain traction with strong support from BBC Radio 1, KISS FM, Notion, and Earmilk, among others.

Check out the video for ‘Rain On Me’ below…

Song of the Day: Rain On Me – Nellie Charles

Coming off the heels of the success of her last single ‘Boss’, which was recently crowned BBC 1Xtra ‘Track of the Week’, and championed by BBC Radio 1, KISS FM, and Capital Xtra, among others, while also garnering critical acclaim from the likes of Notion Magazine, Earmilk, Wordplay Magazine, Ones To Watch, and Apple Music, Manchester-based UK R&B rising sensation NELLIE CHARLES returns with a sultry new offering titled ‘RAIN ON ME’, released via Chocolate Love Monkey and Melody Mover. ‘Rain On Me’ is the second single from Nellie Charles’ highly anticipated debut EP arriving in the summer. ‘Rain On Me’ not only continues the momentum from her previous single ‘Boss’, but also showcases Nellie Charles’ evolving artistry and deepening emotional depth.

Written and produced by Nellie Charles herself, ‘Rain On Me’ explores the tumultuous end of a relationship, with Nellie narrating the emotional complexity of an ex-lover who wants to remain entangled in the past, despite seemingly moving on to somebody else. Driven by Nellie’s rich and emotive voice, as well as her raw and heartfelt lyrics, and complemented by lush grand piano arrangements and glorious bass guitar instrumentation, ‘Rain On Me’ is a powerful and cathartic declaration of closing the chapter on a toxic love, affirming Nellie’s resolve to move forward, unencumbered by the weight of unreciprocated emotions. As Nellie puts it, ‘Rain On Me’ promises to resonate with anyone who has ever had to assert their worth and step away from a relationship that no longer serves them.

Have a listen below…

Song of the Day: NDA – Persius

Rapper PERSIUS shares his single hip hop/rap track ‘NDA’. Please check it out below and drop a like or comment to let us know what you think about it.

Persius, formerly known as Jay Smoove, is a talented rapper hailing from the vibrant city of Chicago. Born and raised in the Windy City, Persius has carved out a distinctive place for himself in the music industry.

His journey in the world of music has been marked by dedication and a relentless pursuit of his artistic vision. With a unique blend of lyrical prowess and a captivating stage presence, Persius quickly gained recognition in the music scene.

One of his significant accomplishments lies in the digital realm, where he has achieved remarkable success. Persius boasts an impressive track record, having garnered over 500,000 streams on Spotify and a strong presence on various other top streaming platforms. This achievement is a testament to his ability to connect with a diverse and widespread audience.

Persius‘s music is a reflection of his experiences growing up in Chicago, a city known for its rich musical history and vibrant culture. He uses his lyrics to tell stories, share insights, and provide a glimpse into the complexities of urban life, making him a relatable and resonant artist for many.

As he continues to evolve as an artist, Persius remains committed to pushing the boundaries of his craft. His dedication to his artistry and his connection with his listeners promise a bright future for this Chicago-born rapper, as he continues to make his mark on the world of music. Have a listen to ‘NDA’ below…

Nia Chennai is not ‘Wasting Time’ on toxic love in brand new single.

South London-born R&B talent NIA CHENNAI is making waves once again with her latest track, ‘Wasting Time,’ ahead of her upcoming EP ‘Diary Is A Waste Of Paper,’ set to drop later this year.

Love is a “losing game,” as late vocalist Amy Winehouse once said. Nia masterfully captures the essence of this, as each verse delves deep into the struggles of toxic relationships and explores themes of overthinking and self-doubt. Nia showcases evolving song-writing abilities in ‘Wasting Time,’ experimenting new flows and rhyming patterns. The first verse is captivating with smooth and, at times, breathy vocals, with a Hip-Hop-like flow – a combination that successfully juxtaposes charm with assertiveness in her lyrics. Nia then seamlessly glides through the second verse in traditional R&B-singer fashion, with catchy melodies and production from Mont Jake ensuring perfectly-layered backing vocals.

Commenting on the new single, Nia Chennai said: “When I wrote ‘Wasting Time’, understanding the idea of what love really is was heavily on my mind. Whilst on that journey, it made me realise that I can’t waste my time on someone displaying “love” with words. I’ve been there, I’ve done that and threw the t-shirt in the bin! If the actions aren’t matching, then I don’t want it!

Nia’s melodies and introspective lyrics have garnered attention from esteemed publications, including Sterofox, Guap, It’s All Massive – and, of course, New Lease Music. Nia has also impressed many live audiences, opening at the Bristol and Manchester dates for Ojerime’s headline tour in February at Bristol Strange Brew and Canvas Manchester, respectively. Nia performed at Shoreditch’s Roundtrip & Workship in March for ‘Breaking Sounds’ and at Kindred for ‘Sonic Waves’ in May. Nia also played at the AnyWear release party with Nicce in October.

Now it’s time check out great talent…listen to ‘Wasting Time’ below…